"Sad to hear about the death of Jimmy Savile," wrote Sean Mack last week. "In the mists of time, late 70s, I remember watching a Jim'll Fix It episode where he fixed it for a fan to play in a match for Liverpool. Does anyone remember this episode or the match he played in?"

As several readers pointed out, it wasn't Jim who fixed it for Lol Cottrell, but Esther Rantzen in her Jim'll-Fix-It-For-Grown-Ups affair, The Big Time. Bakery delivery driver Cottrell was a keen amateur footballer and Liverpool fan given a chance to play for his beloved Reds in Tommy Smith's testimonial. Liverpool's opponents were an international XI, including Bobby Charlton, Norman Hunter and Alex Stepney.

After some coaching from Smith, Cottrell turned out at Anfield and late on the home side were awarded a penalty. Cottrell was given the opportunity to score from the spot and win the game for his side in front of the Kop … and missed. Fortunately the referee "spotted an infringement" and ordered a retake only for the hapless Cottrell to miss again. The referee decided two chances was enough and the game ended 3-3.

"In interview afterward, Smith was clearly livid that this untried player had been allowed to take the spot-kick despite the fact that it wasn't a competitive match," writes Jeremy Simmonds. "While Cottrell allegedly received a ban for life a couple of years later for assaulting a referee."

But Jim did indeed carry out a few football fixes of his own (although not in the Luciano Moggi sense) – a particular Knowledge favourite is the young Arsenal fan who was allowed to referee a friendly between the Gunners and Oxford United and responded by sending off most off the Oxford side.

FOOTBALLERS PRODUCING THEIR OWN FOOD AND DRINK (2)

Last week we looked at the footballers who have made their own beer, wine and hangover-prevention products. This week our very own Paolo Bandini chips in a few more:

Next up is the former Sweden midfielder Glenn Stromberg. He joined Atalanta back in the mid-80s and became so attached to Italian food that he still hasn't left Bergamo. He is a pundit on Swedish TV these days, but since retiring he has also written several cookbooks and launched his own range of Italian produce. More details on the Glenn Stromberg Collection can be found here.

ROBINS, SADDLERS and LIONS. WELL, LYONS

"Bantering with my mate John, we noted that with the Manchester United v Crystal Palace League Cup draw, it's a 'Glazers' v 'Glaziers' (original CPFC nickname) contest," writes Peter Fisher. "He was then reminded of an ex-Palace keeper, Bill Glazier, and expressed disappointment that the club hadn't bought Chris Eagles, thus becoming the only club to have had two players whose name was their team's nickname. Then we agreed that, in fact, no other clubs have ever had a player whose name was their team's nickname. Prove us wrong …"

Indeed we will. While Steve Cherry was on the south coast with Plymouth but not Bournemouth, Paul Blades never got closer than Rotherham to Bramall Lane and Billy Pilgrim was a character in Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five rather than a jinking Plymouth midfielder, there have been other players to match Bill Glazier's effort.

The Rochdale-born full-back Eddie Lyons turned out for Millwall six times between 1949 and 1951,

KNOWLEDGE ARCHIVE

There have been a few questions of late about Samuel Eto'o's long-distance commuting in Russia, so in honour of those, here's Dan Brady back in 2006: "What is the longest distance a footballer has been known to travel on a daily basis to attend training at their club?"

Sometimes, as you watch Rio Ferdinand pick up £120,000 a week for occasionally engaging second gear, it's easy to forget that playing football is a job, and that its protagonists are subject to the same daily irritants as the great unwashed: working with a hangover, eejit colleagues who nick your favourite mug – and commuting to work.

We had a few nominations for the longest daily to trip to training, including Winston Bogarde (Amsterdam-Chelsea: 356km) and VfL Wolfsburg's Pablo Thiam (Berlin-Wolfsburg: 150km), but nobody gets near the monster commute, albeit not a daily one, undertaken by the Australian striker Damian Mori.

"Mori, currently playing in the A-League for the Central Coast Mariners, still lives in Adelaide," says Andrew Stockings. "Last year he was playing for Perth Glory, when he also commuted between matches from Adelaide. The journey from Adelaide to the Central Coast is approximately 1,500km; Adelaide to Perth is 2,700km."

Can you help?

It seems to be increasingly common for players to retire form international football to preserve their club careers," writes Adam Harcus. "So my questions are: what is the youngest someone has retired to do this? And has anyone ever retired from club football but continued to play at international level?"

"After Carlos Tevez allegedly refusing to go on the pitch as a substitute for Manchester City against Bayern," begins Matthew Craig, "has any player caused a somewhat similar brouhaha by refusing to come off the pitch to let a substitute on?"

"I have a college lecturer who keeps saying he "wishes he knew the first footballer to pull his shirt over his head," writes James Keating. "Thanks to him, now I need to know, can you help?"

"I noticed recently when Scotland bravely lost to Spain 3-1, all goals were scored by Davids; David Villa, David Silva & David Goodwillie," writes Stephen Dinsdale. "In my sad existence I was wondering if there have been any other occasions when there have been all goalscorers with the with the same first name. Any advance on 3? A 7-0 win, all goals scored by Johns?"

"Estonian Meistriliiga (top tier) side FC Ajax Lasnamäe, who were promoted to the Meistriliiga this season, ended the season with four points," writes Robi Karhula. "They won zero, drew four and lost 32 matches. In those matches they scored 11 goals and conceded 192 goals resulting in a goal difference of -181. What I'm asking is, have they made a new record in being the worst side in a European top tier league and if not, what team is holding the infamous record?"

"Now that you've solved the 'league leaders with negative goal difference' issue, how about "Has there ever been a league table in professional football where only one team has a positive goal difference?" writes Oliver Kannenberg. "If not, the Brisbane Roar of Australia's A-League may claim a world first as they currently lead their 10-team league with a goal difference of +12, while being followed by five teams on a goal difference of zero and four others with a negative goal difference."

"Recently playing Fifa 12 with my son, he cheekily took a penalty against me with his goalkeeper, and even more cheekily, had the temerity to score it," writes Phil Laing and Stefan Coombs. "Later on in the match, fate caught up with him as said keeper conceded an own goal, ensuring his name on both sides of the scoresheet and the resumption of my offspring's pocket money. It got me thinking – has a keeper ever scored at both ends in a match? Not including penalty shoot outs, naturally."